Relora: Facts, Benefits, Side Effects

When the human body is reacting to any change that requires it to adjust or respond in a physical, mental and or emotional manner, it is said to be under stress. The human body has been intended to be familiar with stress and act in accordance to these changes. Stress is a normal reaction the body gets when it reacts to any source of change; the change could be from the environment, human system, and thoughts.  Stress may not necessarily always be negative or from a bad situation one may experience, even positive life alterations like the birth of a child, a house mortgage, job promotion, can also bring about stress. Stress can also provide some sort of alertness, and awareness that would make one avoid danger.

When the human body gets overworked, builds stress-related tensions, faces continuous challenges without relaxation or relief, it becomes a negative stress. There is an autonomic nervous system built in the body that helps the body system react accordingly to the ongoing stress and help it combat it. However, in situations where the stressor becomes prolonged and strenuous on the nervous system, a negative stress reaction occurs and this is called distress. Chronic stress can wear down the natural defenses of the human body thus encouraging a lot of bad health conditions.

Distress can agitate the body’s internal balance or equilibrium, leading to health conditions such as sexual dysfunction, sleeping problems, chest pain, headaches, elevated blood pressure, and upset stomach. Some more signs experienced during negative stress are grinding teeth, clenched jaw, dizziness, increase in or loss of appetite, general aches and pains, racing hearts, cold and sweaty palms, exhaustion and tiredness, weight gain or loss, diarrhea, sexual difficulties, and trembling.

Emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, worry, and panic attacks also result due to prolonged negative stress. Studies claim that stress can heighten or make certain health symptoms or diseases worse. Stress has been known to be linked to about six of the leading causes of death; accidents, suicide, heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and lung ailments.

When the body experiences stress, it readjusts itself according to respond to the stressor and during this period it secrets a large amounts of stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This hormone is released through a central hormone pathway which includes the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands. However when there is prolonged and high level of stress, there is an imbalance in the central hormone pathway and this can result in more stress, adrenal fatigue, anxious mood, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Due to the uneasy feeling stress gives to the body, some people under negative stress – melatonin – tend to engage in the compulsive use of substances like food, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and also behaviors such as sex, gambling, shopping,  and the internet to try to relieve their stress. These behaviors and substances, instead of relieving the body of stress and returning the body to its normal state, give the body more stress, cause more problems and bring more harm to the human system. The distressed person becomes trapped in a nasty circle.

Relora is a dietary supplement formulation consisting of a blend of extracts of Magnolia officinalis bark and Phellodendron amurense bark standardized to honokiol and berberine, respectively, used for symptoms associated with stress such as nervous tension, irritability, concentration difficulties and occasional sleeplessness. In preceding studies, relora has verified effectiveness for reducing stress and anxiety in animals and improving the well-being feelings in humans.

Relora is a trademarked combination of two Chinese tree barks, Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense, used traditionally promote healthy reactions to stress. While Magnolia officinalis is known for supporting normal adrenal function, Phellodendron amurense is known for supporting a peaceful state of the mind. When these two Chinese tree barks are combined to produce Relora, the result is recommended for supporting general wellness and stress management.

This article would be discussing relora, facts about it, the effects and side effects encountered during its usage, its health benefits, and when it is not safe to use it.


Relora is a clinically authenticated combination of plant extracts from Magnolia officinalis bark and Phellodendron amurense that is known to maintain the body’s response to minor, temporary stress, which can result in nervous tension, irritability, fatigue, sadness, and edgy eating.

Magnolia officinalis, one of the active ingredients in relora supplement, is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant known for its brain protection and relaxation properties. It has been used over time to treat depression and anxiety and most times used as a sedative and sleeping problem remedy. Studies also revealed that this plant may also possess anti-cancer effects when taken in high doses. The bark of the plant is brown and thick but does not crack. It has leaves that are quite broad and oval in shape with height of about 20-40 cm and width of about 11-20 cm. It’s flowers are sweet smelling with width of about 10-15 cm and white tepals of about 9-12 cm. The flowers of plant seasonal and only appears on it from May to June.

Magnolia officinalis has two active ingredients, the polyphenols magnolol and honokiol and they fight against the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma; a receptor that helps in the storage of fatty acids and in glucose metabolism, they also can amend the expression of GABAA, another receptor that has a strong a role in neurotransmission in the central nervous system. They also have the ability to cross the blood brain barrier and is thereby creating a nootropic effects. 

In addition to these two active neolignans, the bark of houpu magnolia holds many other bioactive compounds such as alkaloids and glycosides. And as a potential nootropic, the magnolia officinalis can easily influence the neuron activity through GABAA modulation and it always had positive effects on anxiety feelings, shaking and trembling bodies, cold and shaky hands, in times of stress.

Research carried out on rats adding neolignans magnolol or honokiol to their diet suggested that the addition of the neolignans magnolol or honokiol to the diet may help to sustain weight control by increasing the metabolic rate in the rats. Further research in rats suggests that the same two neolignans found in Magnolia bark may help to support bone health through suppressing the action of RANKL expression. It is also reported to support the body’s response to oral bacterial infection in the mouth, and therefore, safe to say that magnolia also supports dental health.


Relora combines centuries of Eastern medicine tradition with cutting edge plant technology. This combination of tree barks helps to balance the balance the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which is a central hormone pathway of the body. By balancing the HPA axis, Relora helps promote healthy levels of stress hormones, healthy sleep and energy levels.

 Relora supports normal adrenal function, maintains tolerance to occasional stress, promotes calmness in the body and most times without causing drowsiness. It is also known to support normal sleep.


The common side effect noticed with the relora supplement is drowsiness and similar to all normalizing and balancing herbs, the risk of side effects with Relora is very low. Some degree of research has shown possible side effects might include heartburn, shaking hands, thyroid problems, sexual problems, tiredness and headache, as well as dizziness. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are advised to take proper caution when taking relora supplement, they should consult their health care provider on the recommended dosage.

Other reports, although not satisfactorily verified, claim that relora cause hair loss in pregnancy when combined with other prenatal drugs.


Supplement is always recommended in situations where the nature form is not sufficient. Studies have shown that supplementation most times is not the best way to take care of health conditions but can be adequate in other situations. In as much as relora supplement is for stress management, people can always learn to manage stress, live happier and healthier lives with some natural tips. These tips include; maintaining a positive attitude and accepting that there are certain things beyond human’s control.

Stay self-confident instead of antagonistic whenever necessary. Feelings, beliefs, or opinions should be properly ascertained and controlled instead of becoming passive, defensive, or angry. In situations where there is prolonged stress, meditation, yoga, relaxation techniques should be adequately employed.

Finally, the recommendation of a mental health professional trained in stress management should be carefully adhered to and in conditions where relora is advised, the recommended dosage is encouraged.